Two graduating scholars from the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI) were recognized during commencement ceremonies at Cornell University on May 22 and 23.

Sumedha Minocha graduated with a Ph.D. in applied economics and management from the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. Bharath Chandran C graduated with an M.P.S. in global development from the Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment.

As a TCI scholar, Minocha studied how public nutrition programs impact nutrition outcomes for women and children. She conducted a survey of more than 900 women receiving benefits from India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), one of the world’s largest public nutrition programs, to assess how different delivery models affected outcomes. She also studied how the different models impacted social relations between beneficiaries belonging to different castes. Minocha will defend her dissertation in June, after which she will remain with TCI as a postdoctoral researcher.

Chandran C was a researcher at the TCI Center of Excellence in New Delhi before pursuing his M.P.S. in global development. He will resume that role later this summer.

Since TCI’s founding in 2013, 23 TCI scholars have earned Ph. D.s, while 10 have earned master’s degrees.

Featured image: TCI Director Prabhu Pingali with Bharath Chandran C and Sumedha Minocha. (Photo by Dan Verderosa/TCI)